Chipp, Charles Winans, 1848-1881

Charles Winans Chipp (b. August 23, 1848, Kingston, New York-last seen on September 12, 1881, Arctic Ocean, Siberia, Russia), was an American naval officer and explorer. He was educated at the United States Naval Academy in Newport, Rhode Island and Annapolis, Maryland. After graduating in 1868, he served in the steam frigate USS Franklin, flagship of the European Squadron. In 1871, he participated in the United States expedition to Korea. In 1873 he served in USS Juniata when that ship was ordered to the coast of Greenland to search for the Arctic steamer Polaris. Also serving aboard Juniata was Lieutenant George W. DeLong, who would later be Chipp's commanding officer on the USS Jeannette. After service in several other ships, Chipp was ordered to San Francisco to serve as Executive Officer of USS Jeannette, with DeLong commanding. Jeannette was fitting out for her mission, which would be to attempt to sail to the North Pole via the Bering Strait. After the Jeannette was trapped in the Arctic ice, Chipp and the other crew abandonded the boat and set out across the ice. On September 12, 1881, the three boats were separated in a storm. Lieutenant Chipp's boat, with Chipp and seven other men aboard, was never seen again and no trace of it was ever found.